Susanna, who recently split from her long-term partner and the father of her children, is moving to ITV to launch new show Good Morning Britain.

Susanna thanked her former BBC Breakfast colleagues in her first public appearance since announcing her move to ITV.

She was presented with the award by Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt.

Appearing to acknowledge the split in her personal life, she told the audience: "Well, it's been a couple of weeks and this is definitely a highlight.

"Obviously you know things have been changing in my life but this (the award) is all down to one team and that's the team at BBC Breakfast who have been utterly brilliant.

"I have the privilege of being the main presenter of the programme since the move to Salford. It's a fantastic team. I have been lucky enough to present with Charlie and Bill (Turnbull).

"This award is not about me but is testament to all the work that everyone else puts in... the chemistry you have with your co-presenters... it's a huge thank you to them."

In an emotional speech, she also thanked Breakfast's "late editor Alison Ford who took a risk on me".

Speaking backstage, Susana said that she was just "getting on with it" after splitting from her long-term partner Dominic Cotton.

And she insisted that she would not be out to poach viewers from Breakfast or worrying about whether the new show would take-off, after previous ITV show Daybreak failed to win viewers.

"They offered me a great opportunity and as a news journalist and a presenter it's absolutely amazing to be given the opportunity to create a new programme," she said.

"There's fantastic producers there and great editors, just like at Breakfast. It's lovely to be involved in something different."

Susanna said that she did not leave the BBC because of the commute to Salford but that she was given an offer too good to turn down.

"I've always had a great time at Breakfast and getting on the train was never a problem...but obviously there are multiple reasons why you take a new job," she said. "I have to say it was just an offer that was too good to turn down....It is exciting to start something new."

She said of competing with her former colleagues: "My view about breakfast television is that your aim is to grow an audience... not to steal an audience. So if you create great content and people love what you do then you hope that viewers will come to your programme but that doesn't necessarily mean competing...you just have to build your own audience."

Asked whether she worried about the new show not being a success, she said: "You can't worry about how it's going to work, you have to aim to do the best you absolutely can do. Our aim will be to create a great programme and invite the viewers to watch."

She said that she was not letting her split from her partner get to her, adding: "I think, just like anybody, you get on with it. This is life."

Susanna, who is on a break before starting at ITV, said that it was "lovely" to have some time off and added: "But we're all fine. You don't need to worry about us."

She added of her new job: "I'm not nervous at the moment...Obviously live broadcasting is nerve-racking. I'm excited."

Susanna revealed that despite her success as a breakfast TV host, she did not watch breakfast television when she was a child, saying: "We didn't watch television in the mornings when I was little...it just wasn't something that we did."

Ant and Dec, Amy Childs, Peter Andre, Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley were also at the Television and Radio Industries Club (Tric) awards.

Other winners at the included Gabby Logan, who scooped Clare Balding and Sue Barker to the sports presenter title.

Sci-fi show Doctor Who won HD drama programme of the year, beating period dramas Downton Abbey and Call The Midwife.

Duo Ant and Dec triumphed over Claudia Winkleman and Paul O'Grady to TV personality of the year.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and The Apprentice lost out to Strictly Come Dancing in the reality programme category.

Coronation Street beat EastEnders and Emmerdale to best soap at the bash at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

Broadchurch won best crime programme while Gogglebox beat Mrs Brown's Boys and The Graham Norton Show to the entertainment programme title.

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